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The Time Meddler (TS)
The Time Meddler was the last story in Season 2 of Doctor Who featuring the First Doctor, Vicki Pallister and Steven Taylor and was written by Dennis Spooner. It outlined the events of the Viking Invasion and how the Saxons protected their land. This was the first story to feature another Time Lord. Synopsis The Doctor and Vicki, after finding Steven in the TARDIS, decide to prove to him that the TARDIS can travel in time. They arrive in England, 1066 where the Saxons are on the brink of war with the Vikings. They find refuge, however, there's something wrong. A monk in his monastery is acting weirdly and objects from Earth's future are appearing around the area, including a watch and a gramophone is discover in the monastery. Who is this monk, and what is he up to? Plot The Watcher Inside the TARDIS, the Doctor and Vicki talk of Ian and Barbara's departure. They are interrupted by the sound of someone lurking nearby. They believe it to be a Dalek intruder, but discover that it is Steven. Now joined with the TARDIS crew, he finds it hard to understand the concept of time travel and fails to believe it. The TARDIS arrives near the shore where a figure watches. Exiting the TARDIS, they discover a Viking helmet on the ground. Still not in belief of time travel, the TARDIS crew decide to climb up to normal land height. Taking a detour, the Doctor meets Edith, a Saxon who gives him a refreshment, believing him to be a distant traveller. The Doctor becomes interested in a monastery where he can hear them singing, but is very suspicious. Vicki and Steven wait for the Doctor at the top of the cliff, but can't find him and so decide to look inside the nearby forest. Vicki tries to dissuade Steven from his original beliefs while they walk. The Doctor arrives at the monastery where he discovers the singing is actually the source of a gramophone. Turning it off, he is then captured by the Meddling Monk. The Meddling Monk Now captured, the Doctor is forced to live in a cell and is regularly fed by the Monk's offerings. Vicki and Steven rest in the woods and when awakening, they find a local Saxon hunter who's found a modern wrist-watch. Steven chases him away and tries to prove to Vicki that he was right. On the shore, a viking ship silently moors and the Viking Leader gives orders to a band of Vikings on how to handle and investigate the area. He sends four into the woods in order to find information about Saxons and hopefully help the fleet arrive safely. Vicki and Steven arrive in the Saxon village where they meet Wulnoth and Edith who give them refreshments and advice on where to find the Doctor. Steven starts to believe in time travel. They arrive at the monastery where the Monk explains that no Doctor has visited there. They don't believe him and decide to break in. The saxons begin to gather as they find Vikings roaming the woods. They decide to attack. Springing an ambush, the Viking are helpless as they try to fend the Saxons of, but a couple are killed and one is wounded, however the Saxon's losses are greater. In the Monastery, Vicki and Steven discover that the Doctor has disappeared from his cell. A Battle of Wits New escaped from the monastery, the Doctor returns to the camp where Edith explains that his friends have travelled to the monastery themselves. Contemplative, the Doctor decides to follow. He is unaware that Vicki and Steven are following his trail. Wulnoth asks the Monk for treatment for Eldred for his injury during the skirmish with Vikings. While there, the Monk gives Eldred a paracetamol pill and Wulnoth returns to the village. While searching the shore, Steven and Vicki find a large atomic gun, which is pointed out to sea. The Monk heads to the village to help complete his plan. He asks Wulnoth and Edith, as he is taking care of Eldred, he wants beacon fires to be lit upon the shore for no such reason. The villagers become suspicious. Now at the Monastery, the Doctor traps the Monk in the hope of finding out his plan. However, the Viking arrive at the door. Now dressed as a monk, the Doctor is captured by the remainder of the Viking group and is asked to give them safe refuge from the Saxons. They lock the Doctor up, however, Ulf is hit on the head by the Monk and tied up. As the Doctor escapes again, Vicki and Steven enter the Monastery. They enter the main room and find that the Monk is keeping a TARDIS hidden in the disguise of a sarcophagus. Checkmate Vicki and Steven begin to search the TARDIS and discover that the Monk has been changing the history of the Earth over a wide period of time. In the village, the Saxons plan a revolt against the Monk after discovering from Eldred that he is keeping Vikings safe inside the building. Vicki, Steven and the Doctor are reunited and the Monk joins them as they discuss the origin of the TARDIS. They realise that the Monk and the Doctor are of the same species. The Monk explains his actions and what he wants to do to the current time. He hopes for Harold Godwinson to win the war. Now at the monastery, the mob attack the two Vikings and the Monk as well and they are chased headlong through the woods. Inside the monastery, the Doctor prepares a devilish plan. The Monk gets rid of the Vikings by tricking them and they are captured and beaten to death by the Saxon mob while the Monk safely return to the monastery. Inside the Monk's TARDIS, the Doctor removes the dimensional stabiliser while grinning. He believes he has foiled the Monk's plan. Leaving a letter behind, the Doctor and his companions return to their own TARDIS. The Monk returns to his own TARDIS and reads the letter, becoming worried. He then finds that his TARDIS has lost its trans-dimensional style and realises he is trapped in the timeline. He scream the Doctor's name. Characters * The Doctor - William Hartnell * Vicki Pallister - Maureen O' Brien * Steven Taylor - Peter Purves * The Meddling Monk - Peter Butterworth * Edith - Alethea Charlton * Eldred - Peter Russell * Wulnoth - Michael Miller * Saxon Hunter - Michael Guest * Ulf - Norman Hartley * Viking Leader - Geoffrey Cheshire * Sven - David Anderson * Gunnar the Giant - Ronald Rich Crew * Writer - Dennis Spooner * Director - Douglas Camfield * Producer - Verity Lambert * Script Editor - Donald Tosh * Designer - Barry Newbery * Assistant Floor Manager - Gillian Chardet * Costumes - Daphne Dare * Fight Arranger - David Anderson * Make-Up - Monica Ludkin, Sonia Markham * Percussion - Charles Botterill * Production Assistant - David Maloney * Special Sounds - Brian Hodgson * Studio Lighting - Ralph Walton * Studio Sound - Brian Hiles, Ray Angel * Theme Arrangement - Delia Derbyshire * Title Music - Ron Grainer Continuity * Vicki explains to Steven that the TARDIS is faulty and they unaware of where they will land next. * The TARDIS exterior is questioned by Steven. * The Monk tries to change history, as do many of the Doctor's enemies. * The Doctor doesn't like to be called Doc. * The Doctor is well-aware of Earth history and how it develops. * The Meddling Monk tries to change history using his knowledge of Earth. * The Monk is a Time Lord like the Doctor. * Edith gave the Doctor mead to drink as refreshment. * The Doctor wields a sword. * Vicki claims she wants to visit New York properly. Famous Quotes Steven Taylor: "I've seen some spaceships in my time, admittedly nothing like this, but...what does this do?" The Doctor: "That is the dematerialisation control, and that over yonder is the horizontal hold. Up there is the scanner, those are the doors, that is a chair with a panda on it...sheer poetry, dear boy! Now please stop bothering me! Gallery The Time Meddler DVD Cover.jpg DrWhoTimeMeddlerVHS.jpg Time_meddler_us_dvd.jpg Time_meddler_1988_target.jpg Category:First Doctor Stories Category:Stories featuring Vicki Pallister Category:Stories featuring Steven Taylor Category:Stories set on Earth Category:Stories set in 1066